Two EVs outranked gasoline vehicles in their respective segments in a recent J.D. Power customer-appeal study.
The Mercedes-Benz EQS was the highest-ranked "large premium car" in J.D. Power's 2022 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study, while the Kia EV6 topped the rankings in the compact SUV category.
However, the EQS and EV6 were outliers, as gasoline models were top-ranked in all other categories. And hybrids and plug-in hybrids didn't do well in the study, having lower composite scores than non-electrified gasoline vehicles, J.D. Power said in a press release announcing the results.
2022 Kia EV6
Tesla was also included in the APEAL study for the first time, albeit only as an unranked brand. J.D. Power said Tesla does not allow access to owner information in the states where that permission is required by law, so the automaker's vehicles are ineligible for awards. Tesla's brand score of 887 would have put it near the top of the luxury rankings, however.
Studies like this conducted by J.D. Power are an important auto industry metric, but they've produced varied results for EVs.
A previous J.D. Power study found that electric powertrains aren't especially trouble-prone, but all the extra tech included in many EVs is. Consumer Reports has suggested that EVs are the least reliable vehicle type—perhaps with similar reasons why.
2020 Tesla Model S
It's another dimension for automakers to consider as they plan a transition to EVs. J.D. Power previously found that, essentially, automakers have a lot to lose.
And while many of the ownership-cost advantages might be clear, earlier this year Deloitte found some pronounced cost obstacles—that half of Americans won't pay extra for electrified vehicles.
